Gardens of Use and Delight
Practical and Beautiful Landscapes, Jigs & Jo Ann Gardner
Gardens of Use & Delight is a beautifully-illustrated book that shares 40 years of gardening experience from a couple who learned to live off the land. Jigs and Jo Ann Gardner lived on farms in the difficult climates of Vermont and Nova Scotia, and managed to raise and feed their family of six without trips to the grocery or liquor stores. In the process, they created a delightful landscape which sprouted a small B&B operation, food, herb and flower sales, and several instructional gardening books.
Gardens
Gardening knowledge is shared on eight types of gardens found at their farm: kitchen, fruit, herb, harvest, rose, naturalizing, containers and cottage. The Gardners made their own soil enhancements, and very little went to waste, even the weeds, which were used to feed hens.
Growing Guide
A reference section includes tips on working in difficult hardiness zones, successful seed germination, maintaining a compost heap, planting raised beds and disease and insect control.
Recipes
There are recipes for making the most of your garden harvest, such as homemade catsup, pea soup and spring salad, as well as canning instructions for corn, pickles and tomato juice. Crafters will enjoy the instructions for candied petals used in cake decorations and pressed floral cards.
Summary
Gardens of Use & Delight makes a lovely read. While not everyone will use it as a reference for living off the land, the tips passed along from real experience can be put to work in any garden. Warning: this book is sure to instill a desire for country life.
Recipe Excerpt:
Homemade Catsup
(Makes about 4 pints)
Ingredients:
- 10 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 4 onions
- 2 sweet red peppers
- 1 clove garlic
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2-inch stick of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Directions:
- Peel and chop tomatoes, onions and peppers, and put the ingredients into a wide-mouthed 2-gallon stainless steel pot (it cooks evenly).
- Add garlic that has been pushed through a garlic press.
- Cover the mixture and bring it to a boil, remove the cover, and cook until the mixture is soft, then put it through a food mill.
- Pour the mixture back into the pot and simmer until it is reduced by half, or about 30 minutes.
- Add the whole spices tied up in cheesecloth (make a little bag) and cook the mixture slowly until very thick, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching at the bottom.
- Remove the spice bag and pour the hot mixture into scalded jars and seal.
Title: Gardens of Use & Delight
Author: Jigs & Jo Ann Gardner
Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing, 304 pages
Price: $29.95
ISBN: 9-781555-913243
